Cartridge assembly tray for immunoassay tests

Abstract

This invention relates to a cartridge assembly tray for conducting automated biochemical tests, such as immunoassay tests. The tray comprises a base member, a hinged frame and a locking mechanism. The base member includes a plurality of slots within the base member. Each of the plurality of slots is to receive a test cartridge. The hinged frame is coupled to the base member. The hinged frame is capable to rotate to an opened position or a closed position. The hinged frame includes a horizontal push bar configured to apply a downward force to test cartridges received in the plurality of slots when the hinged frame is in the closed position. The locking mechanism is to lock the hinged frame in the closed position when the hinged frame rotates to the closed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cartridge assembly comprising:
 a plurality of test cartridges, each test cartridge including a recess portion, a plurality of wet wells, a measurement well that has a light transmissive bottom and a probe well that includes a probe and a protective cap configured to enclose a portion of the probe extending above the probe well; and 
 a tray including:
 a base member including a plurality of horizontally elongated slots, each horizontally elongated slot configured to receive a test cartridge of the plurality of test cartridges; 
 a hinged frame coupled to the base member, wherein the hinged frame is capable of rotating to an opened position and a closed position, the hinged frame including a horizontal push bar configured to apply a downward force towards the recess portions of the plurality of test cartridges to fix the plurality of test cartridges in the plurality of horizontally elongated slots when the hinged frame is in the closed position; and 
 a locking mechanism to lock the hinged frame in the closed position when the hinged frame rotates to the closed position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of wet wells of each test cartridge includes:
 a sample well; 
 a plurality of reagent wells; and 
 a plurality of wash wells. 
 
     
     
       3. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tray further comprises:
 a release mechanism to unlock the hinged frame from the closed position to release the plurality of test cartridges from the plurality of horizontally elongated slots. 
 
     
     
       4. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of horizontally elongated slots has a top opening for receiving a test cartridge and the size of the horizontally elongated slot fits a test cartridge and prevents the plurality of test cartridges from moving laterally in the plurality of horizontally elongated slots. 
     
     
       5. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of horizontally elongated slots has a bottom opening such that a light beam is projected through the bottom opening and the light transmissive bottom of the measurement well to read a signal from a tip of the probe. 
     
     
       6. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tray further comprises:
 a plurality of tabs to secure the caps of the probe wells from reverting back when the caps are opened. 
 
     
     
       7. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of horizontally elongated slots has a substantially rectangular shape for receiving a test cartridge. 
     
     
       8. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded pin to reversibly lock the hinged frame in the closed position when the hinged frame rotates to the closed position. 
     
     
       9. The cartridge assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the tray further comprises:
 a release mechanism to unlock the hinged frame from the closed position by applying a force to retract the spring-loaded pin so that the plurality of test cartridges are disposed of from the plurality of horizontally elongated slots. 
 
     
     
       10. The cartridge assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the tray further comprises:
 a release mechanism including a lock tab, wherein the spring-loaded pin stays at a retracted position after the lock tab is squeezed, and wherein the spring-loaded pin moves to an extruded position after the lock tab is squeezed again. 
 
     
     
       11. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes grooves adapted to guide the tray into a tray drive of a test apparatus on both sides of the base member. 
     
     
       12. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tray further comprises:
 a handle attached to the base member for moving the tray. 
 
     
     
       13. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the center of mass of the tray locates at a geometric center of the tray. 
     
     
       14. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of horizontally elongated slots has an opening at the bottom for detecting an optical signal. 
     
     
       15. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes multiple vertical notches on sides of the base member, such that a test apparatus uses pins aligned into the vertical notches to secure the position of the tray. 
     
     
       16. The cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cartridge holder including a plurality of slots within the cartridge holder, wherein each of the slots of the cartridge holder is to receive a test cartridge, and wherein the cartridge holder is detachable from the base member. 
 
     
     
       17. The cartridge assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the base member includes a holder bar, at least some surface of a bottom notch of the cartridge holder be contacting the holder bar such that the cartridge holder does not move laterally relative to the base member, when the cartridge holder is reversibly attached to the base member. 
     
     
       18. The cartridge assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the cartridge holder further includes a plurality of holes, wherein the inner shapes of the holes accommodate bottoms of probe wells of test cartridges. 
     
     
       19. The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the hinged frame includes a hinge that is disposed along an outer surface of a side of the base member. 
     
     
       20. A method for loading the plurality of test cartridges into a test apparatus, comprising:
 loading the plurality of test cartridges into the horizontally elongated slots of the base member of the tray of  claim 1 ; 
 rotating the hinged frame of the tray to the closed position, such that the horizontal push bar applies a downward force to the recess portions of the plurality of test cartridges; 
 locking the hinged frame to the closed position by the locking mechanism of the tray; and 
 inserting the tray into a test apparatus. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of loading further comprises:
 loading the plurality of test cartridges into slots of a cartridge holder; and 
 loading the cartridge holder onto the base member. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the wet wells of each of the test cartridges comprise:
 a sample well; 
 a plurality of reagent wells; and 
 a plurality of wash wells. 
 
     
     
       23. A method for performing a biochemical test in the plurality of test cartridges, comprising:
 (a) loading the plurality of test cartridges into the test apparatus according to  claim 22 ; 
 (b) opening the cap of each of the probe wells; 
 (c) lifting the probe from each of the probe wells; and 
 (d) dipping the probe into the wet wells and the measurement well of the individual test cartridge in a predetermined sequence. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the opening of the step (b) comprises:
 opening the cap to a position secured by one or more tabs attached to the tray to secure the cap from reverting back.